Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal (Healthy, Easy & Perfect for Meal Prep!)
A cozy baked oatmeal filled with grated carrots, warm spices, Greek yogurt, and an optional cream cheese glaze. It's a nourishing dish that's easy to prep and perfect for make-ahead breakfasts all week long.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, nonfat or low-fat
- 2 cups almond milk, or any milk of choice
- ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups old-fashioned oats
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups finely grated carrots, loosely packed
- ½ cup raisins or chopped dates
- ½ cup roughly chopped pecans or walnuts
Cream Cheese Glaze (optional)
- ¼ cup lite cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1 ½ Tbsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Mist a 9×13-inch casserole dish with oil spray.
- Add all the wet ingredients directly to the casserole dish: Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup or honey, vanilla, and the eggs (crack eggs in and whisk with a fork to break the yolks and lightly beat before mixing in with the other ingredients). Stir until mostly smooth; small yogurt lumps are fine.
- Add the dry ingredients: oats, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, salt, grated carrots, and optional raisins/dates/nuts. Mix until everything is evenly combined.
- Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the top is set and lightly golden.
- Let cool for 10 minutes to slight firm and set. Then slice into 6 squares, and top with an optional spoonful of cream cheese frosting (be sure to read the notes below for tips on achieving a smooth, lump-free glaze). Alternatively, you can add a spoonful of Greek yogurt (vanilla-flavored tastes great on top). Add 25 calories for 1 tablespoon cream cheese glaze.
Notes
Carrot prep: Finely grate carrots on the small holes of a box grater so they soften fully and melt into the bake. Alternatively, you can buy pre-shredded ‘matchstick’ carrots and toss them right in.
Mix-ins: You can add chopped dates along with the raisins or instead of them. Walnuts or pecans give great crunch but can be omitted.
Make it sweeter: Use vanilla Greek yogurt instead of plain unflavored, or add an extra drizzle of honey/maple syrup.
To lighten up the calories: Omit raisins and each square drops to 290 calories. Omit nuts and each square drops to 270 calories. Omit both (raisins and nuts) and each square drops to 240 calories.
To make without added sugar: Use a sugar free syrup
Doubling the recipe: If you use the 2x button, divide the batter evenly between two 9x13-inch casserole dishes. Baking a double batch in one dish makes it too thick for the center to set properly. Keep the oven at 375°F and bake each dish for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is set and lightly golden.
Cream cheese glaze tip to prevent clumping: For a smooth, lump-free glaze, make sure the cream cheese is very soft. Let it sit at room temperature for about 45–60 minutes, or microwave for 15 seconds, stir, then microwave for another 10 seconds until soft but not melted. Whip the cream cheese by itself first until completely smooth, then slowly whisk in the maple syrup (slightly warming the syrup also helps prevent clumping). Stir in the vanilla and salt. If small lumps appear, microwave the mixture for 15 seconds and whisk again until silky.
Gluten-free tip: Choose certified gluten-free oats and check labels carefully.
Dairy-free tip: Swap the Greek yogurt for a dairy-free yogurt (coconut, almond, or soy). Because Greek yogurt is often thicker than dairy-free yogurt, you’ll get a slightly softer consistency. For firmer squares, reduce milk by ¼ cup or add 2 tablespoons oats.
Nut-free tip: Skip the nuts and choose a nut-free milk.
Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze individual squares for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or warm in the oven. Add frosting after reheating.
Nutrition Information per serving
Serving Size: 1 squareCalories: 330Carbohydrates: 49gProtein: 12gTotal Fat: 11g— Unsaturated Fat: 9.5g— Saturated Fat: 1.5gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 290mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 6gTotal Sugar: 23g— Natural Sugar: 13g— Added Sugar: 10gVitamin A: 4700IUCalcium: 315mgIron: 2.3mg
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.